Sign flasher



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,194

.1 e. RUCKELSHAUS S IGN FLASHEB Filed Oct. 23, 1924 Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,681,194 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. BUGKELBHAUS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY;

- SIGN I'LASHEB.

, s mm ng october as. 1924.? Serial m5. 745,341.

' circuit closers are usually connected into circuit at the main circuit whereby the letters making up the sign are successively cut into the redetermined time intervals so as to give t e eflect'of spelling out the word or sentence. My improvement consists essentially of the means for successively cuttin in a series of branch circuits into the mam line of distributing circuit and is specifically directed to this timing mechanism, and includes among other things a thermostatic cut out for short circuiting the same after predetermined timing interval whereby the timing mechanism is stepped ahead so as to successively introduce the additional branch circuits with their lamps included therein. In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification I have shown the circuits diagrammatically and have included the specific form of mechanism whereby the results of my improvement are accomplished.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 illustrates a typical line of s gn letters together with a step by step timlng mechanism whereby the branch circuits leading to the sign letters are successively coupled into the main circuit.

F ig..2 is a plan view of the magnet and the preferred form of the cut-out mechanism.

Fig. 3 illustrates modified by step cutout mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan View partly in section on line VV of Fig. 4.

Similar reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawm The row of letters forming a unit of my improved sign flasher is shown at 1. These letters may-be made up of a series of box like structures 2 having a transparent face 3 with a translucent letter 4 thereon. A single lamp as 5 is mounted within each box, with circuit connections leading thereto so that as the lamps are lighted the light will shine through the faces and illuminate the letters thereon. Each of the lamps is form of step circuit cut out mounted upon a connected into a branch circuit with the return end of said circuit as 6 leading back to the sourceof current supply. The several branch circuits 7 .leading from the other lamp terminals to acorrespondin set of board 8 located at a suitable pointremote from the sign. The preferred form of cut-out, as shown in F 1g. 1, consists of a series of posts 9- arranged in a circle and each having pivotally mounted thereon a contact arm as-lO having a forward extension in position to bear u on the next succeeding post 9 so that w en completely mounted upon the board 8 the posts'9 and contact arms 10 will be arranged in circular tandem as shown. Each of these contact arms 10 is provided with a cam shaped projection 11 whic extends toward the center of the circle, in the center of which is mounted a shaft 12, upon which is an arm 13 having a cam shaped outer projection 14 in position to sweep around the circle and engage successively the cams 11 so as to lift them into the position shown in the left hand side of Fig. 1. When so lifted the contact of the arm with the adjacent post will be broken. In order to maintain a normal contact.between the arm 10 and the posts 9, I provide the springslfi upon the posts 9, said springs havlng one end bent over the arm 10 and the other end connected to the post 9 so as to yieldingly press said arms 10 against the corresponding posts 9.

As a means for rotating or swinging the arm 13 around the shaft 12, so as to suecessively break the contacts as above described, I provide the shaft 12 with a ratchet wheel 16, said ratchet wheel and arm 13 being substantially integral so as to rotate together. Upon the base of the board 8 I mount an electro-magnet 17 and a post 18 in the upper end of which is mounted a pivoted armature 19 in position to swing down against the pole of the magnet 17. Upon the outer free end of this armature 19 I mount a long spring pawl 20, the hook end of which is in position to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16. A spring 20 c0nnects the rear end of the armature 19 with the base of the board 8 so as to normally swing the armature 19 to its upper position as shown. When, however, the magnet 17 is energized, the armature 19 is drawn downwardly, thereby causing the pawl 20 to rotate the ratchet 16 one step ahead.

As above described, the lamp terminals are connected by means of the branch wires 7 to the respective posts 9. The initial post of the series-however is connected to the main circuit wire 21, leading to the source of current supply. In order that the magnet 17 may be periodically energized and deenergized I couple the magnet coil 1nto a bridge circuit 22 said circuit hav ng in series the magnet coil and a heating coil 23. E2;- tcnding into the center of the heating coil 23 is a strip of thermostatic metal 24 mounted in a metal base 25 to which the bridge circuit 22 is also connected at the post26 and grounded there. In the circuit 22 near the upper end of the thermostatic strip 24 1s a hack contact 27. The thermostatic strip 24 is so arranged that at ordinary temperatures it will be held out of contact with the back contact 27; however, when current ispassed through the coil a suflicient length of time to heat said 0011 the radiated heat will cause the thermostatic strip 24 to bend out of its normal position into contact with the back contact 27, thereby shortcircuiting said coil and permitting the main portion of the current to pass through the strip 24 and bridge circuit 22'1nclud1ng the magnet coil 17. This sudden influx of current through the bridge circuit w111 energize the magnet 17 and thus draw the armature 19 suddenly to it and the pawl 20 w1ll step the wheel 16 one tooth ahead. This in turn will swing the arm 13 with its cam 14 one step ahead to release the corresponding arm 10 which had been held out of contact by the engagement of its cam 11 with the cam 14. The short-circuiting of the heating 0011 23 by the warping of the thermostatic strip 24 into engagement with the back contact 27 will serve to cool said coil and upon cooling the thermostatic strip 24 will again resume its normal condition and break contact with the back contact 27, thereby re-introducing the coil 23 into the bridge circuit. The heating coil serves to introduce sufficient amount of resistance into the bridge circuit 22 to de-energize the magnet coil 17 when of course the spring 21 will restore the armature 19 and pawl 20 to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the bridge circuit now having the heating coil 23 therein would again heat said coil and again the thermostatic strip 24 will warp into contact with the back contact 27, whereupon the same cycle of operation will proceed, each time advancing the arm 13 one step and releasing successively another arm 10 so that another one of the branch circuits, 7 will be closed across the main line. As the arm 13 swings around step by step, breaking the engagement of an arm 10 with the next succeeding post 9 and releasing the arm just preceding the lamps 5 in the boxes 2 will be successively lighted until all are in circuit and lighted, when of course the arm 13 and its cam 14 engaging the initial contact arm 10 will break all of the branch circuits and thus put all of the lamps out of operation. However, a further advance of the arm 13 would again bring the contact arms 10 successively into engagement with the post 9 and the cycle of operation will be repeated so long as the current supply through the main circuit is continued.

In Figs. 3, 4, 5, I have, shown a modification of the step by step contact breaking mechanism. In th1s case, the board 8 has mounted thereon a rotating ratchet 16 which is operated by a magnet, armature and thermostatic contact mechanism exactly as above described. The arm 13, however, is provided with a flat shoe-like cam 14 which sweeps around the circle of spring posts 9 depressing them successivel as shown at the middle of Fig. 4. Each 0 the posts 9 has at its outer end a wedge-like cam head 11' and between it and board 8 is located a coil spring 15'. The post 9 extends through metallic bushing 30 in the board 8 and is provided with a head 31 upon its rear end. Underneath the flanges of the several bushings are the contact springs 32 rigidly secured in place and extending forward and bent outwardly as shown and each one is provided with a circular aperture 33 which fits over the body of the next post 9. The aperture, however, is considerably larger than the diameter of the post so that when the post is depressed as shown at the middle of Fig. 4 the head of the post will be car ried rearwardly and the spring 32 will swing away a trifle from the back of the board and be entirely free from the post. When, however, the cam 14 passes beyond the particular post, the spring 15 will restore said post, forcing the same outwardly until the head 31 engages the spring 32, when of course, contact is again re-established. The swinging of the arm and its cam 14 around the circle of the posts 9' serves the same purpose as that above described, namely: successive breaking of the branch circuits in advance of the arm 13 and the closing of said circuits, at the rear of said advancing arm.

It is to be understood that the two methods described of opening and closing the branch circuits are illustrative only of the object and purpose of the device. An means for successively closing the brane circuits, including the proper timing thereof, to accomplish the purpose described, will come within the scope of my invention and I intend the appended claims to be construed in such a manner as to include such a step by step mechanism for closing a series of branch circuits.

I claim 1. In an electric switch of the class described, comprising a series of relatively spaced contact posts, bridging members normally connecting the posts in series and means for progressively moving the bridging members to successively operate a series of translating devices in sequence.

2. In an electric switch of the class described, comprising a series of relatively spaced contact posts, a contact arm pivotally associated with each post and adapted to bear against the next succeeding post, and means for progressively moving each contact arm to successively operate a series of translating devices in sequence.

3. In an electric switch of the class described, comprising a series of relatively spaced contact posts, a contact arm pivotally associated with each post and adapted to bear against the next succeeding post and means for progressively lifting and releasing each contact arm to successively operate a series of translating devices in sequence.

4. In an electric switch of the class described, comprising a series of relatively spaced contact posts, a yieldably mounted bridging member associated with each post and adapted to bear against the next succeeding post and means for progressively moving the bridging members to successively operate -a series of translating devices in sequence.

5. In an electric switch of the class described, a series of contact posts arranged in circular spaced relation about a center, a

' bridging member carried by each of said posts and conslsting of an arm pro ect1ng toward the next adjacent post in the series,

said arm having its inner edge curved to form a cam and being provided at its outer free corner with a stop finger positioned to engage the next succeeding post upon the arm being swung to the innerlimit of its movement and thereby close contact with said next succeeding post, spring means urging said fingers into contact with the respective posts, a camming member pivoted concentrically of the series of posts and positioned to successively engage the cam surfaces of said bridging members, and means to rotate said camming member.

6. In an electric switch of the class described, a series of contact posts arranged in circular spaced relation about a center, a bridging member carried by each of said posts and consisting of an arm projecting toward the next adjacent post in the series, said arm having its inner edge curved to form a cam and being provided at its outer free corner with a stop finger positioned to engage the next succeeding post upon the arm being swung to the inner limit of its movement and thereby close contact with said next succeeding post, spring means urging said fingers into contact with the respective posts, a camming member pivoted concentrically ofthe series of posts and positioned to successively engage the cam surfaces of said bridging members, and means to rotate said camming member, said camming member and the cam surface of the briging members being arranged for simultaneous closing of each contact and opening of the next succeeding contact.

JOHN G. RUCKELSHAUS. 

